MANILA — Gabriela party-list representative Arlene Brosas said the women’s group is conducting a review of how the violence against women and children (VAWC) act is being carried out.
“We’re conducting a review of the VAWC act,” Brosas said in a recent interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
She noted the party-list is roaming around the country to assess the law’s implementation, which started in Marikina City.
The lawmaker said that among the challenges are misinformed barangay officials who, therefore, do not implement the law properly, and also victims who do not report instances of abuse.
Brosas stressed the government should create a mechanism to assess the implementation efficiency of the law.
Citing reports from the Center for Women’s Resources, she said most common of the cases are rape, child abuse, and sexual harassment.
Even in Metro Manila, there is also a prevailing lack of VAWC desks in barangays, while some VAWC desks teach differently from what is indicated in the law, Brosas noted.
She added some VAWC desks are also not well-informed on the process of handling victims and even lack a referral system to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, social welfare department of local government units, or accredited non-government organizations.
Republic Act 9262, also known as the violence against women and children act, was enacted in 2004 to protect the dignity of women and children from violence and threats to their personal safety and security. (PNA)
